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You might think that bondage practises are a little ‘out there’ or bizarre – but a recent study has found that BDSM enthusiasts are actually psychologically healthier and happier than their tamer, more ‘vanilla’ counterparts!

Despite the fact that their sexual preferences are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as ‘potentially problematic’, people who include whips and chains as part of their sexual repertoire may actually have better mental health than those who don’t!

Nearly 1000 bondage practitioners and 500 non-BDSM participants completed extensive questionnaires covering personality, sensitivity to rejection, relationships and general themes relating to happiness. The results revealed that the BDSM fans were actually far more outgoing, more open to new experiences, less neurotic and had higher levels of happiness than people outside the bondage world.

The study also offered some interesting findings relating to gender roles within the bondage scene. Of the BDSM practitioners, 33% of men reported being submissive, 48% dominant, and 18% switch, or are willing to switch between submissive and dominant roles in bed. About 75% of female BDSM respondents were submissive, 8% dominant and 16% switch. And even though submissives are often perceived as the most ‘vulnerable’, there wasn’t even one area in which the submissives scored less favourably than the ‘vanilla’ control group.

Obviously, one study alone shouldn’t be considered conclusive – but combined with other research, these new findings suggest bondage practises can at worst be viewed as a harmless lifestyle choice, and at best, as a self-development tool that can actually have some pretty positive effects!